Short & Long Term Disability Cases We’ve Won for Our Clients Against New York Life
Fields Law Firm successfully recovers millions of dollars each year for our disabled clients throughout the United States. Our Long Term Disability experience is matched by very few other law firms in the country and has earned us a national reputation.
Here are just a few examples of our Long Term Disability appeal case wins against New York Life.
Maria – Department Store Manager – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Plantar Fasciitis
A department store manager stopped working due to the development of plantar fasciitis. She was required to be on her feet for eight to ten hours per day, and her foot pain was so severe she couldn’t stand or walk for more than a few minutes. She submitted a claim to her insurer, who paid benefits for several months before denying her. The denial letter stated the woman could return to work because she could stand for up to six hours per day. She submitted her own appeal, which New York Life quickly denied.
Unable to work and worried about the loss of income, she hired Fields Law to file a second appeal on her behalf. Our attorneys uncovered a crucial mistake in the vocational review performed on our client’s case by New York Life. They failed to consider how much time she was actually required to be on her feet while working. In response, Fields Law hired a vocational expert to explain the actual duties that our client’s job required. After a brief review, New York Life reinstated benefits and our client received a sizable back payment.
Stacy – Dispatcher – North Babylon, Pennsylvania
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Severe Anxiety
A Dispatcher from Pennsylvania suffered from irritable bowel syndrome and severe anxiety. Due to her condition, she was unable to continue working in her sedentary occupation. Her Long Term Disability insurer denied her claim, asserting that her medical records did not indicate any impairment that prevented her from performing her job.
Scared about what to do, she reached out to Fields Law Firm. The attorneys at Fields Law began updating our client’s medical records to submit to New York Life. In addition, we provided New York Life with a report from her treating doctor that outlined her condition and her inability to work. Upon review, they reversed their decision and recommenced the payment of monthly benefits. Our client was relieved with the reinstatement of her benefits.
Melissa – Phlebotomist – West Union, Ohio
Lumbar Disc Disease, Myleopathy
A certified phlebotomist for a large health care provider was diagnosed with lumbar intervertebral disc disease with myelopathy, with associated radiating pain. She quit working because she was unable to keep up with her physically demanding and stressful job. New York Life agreed and paid the woman’s claim for several months. Out of nowhere and without explanation, the insurer requested the woman attend an independent medical examination. In turn, her benefits were denied based on the report, which far overestimated her physical abilities.
After hiring Fields Law Firm to assist with an appeal of the denial, our attorneys combed over the claim file and discovered that the independent doctor had failed to base his recommended work restrictions on examination findings. The Fields Law attorneys arranged for our client to attend a functional capacity evaluation to refute the findings of New York Life’s doctor and secured a substantial amount of medical records. Our attorneys submitted the medical records, functional capacity evaluation, and several legal arguments undermining the denial decision; which resulted in the decision being overturned our client’s benefits being reinstated.
